Bulletin Board Idea
by Marilyn Copeland Davidson, Coordinating Author of Share the Music

Aaron Copland: Fanfare for a Great American Composer 1900–1999

Have the students create pictures representing scenes from each of the Copland works mentioned in Meet the Composer: Aaron Copland..

In Share the Music:

"Variations on 'Simple Gifts' from Appalachian Spring" (Book 5)
"Rodeo" from Billy the Kid (Book 4)
"A Lincoln Portrait" (Book 4)
"Fanfare for the Common Man" (Book 5)

In Music and You:

"The Cat and the Mouse" (Kindergarten)
"The Red Pony" (Book 2)

You may also want to include "El Salon Mexico" and other works of your choice.

Use as heading for the bulletin board pictures of one or more herald trumpets. As a title, use "Fanfare for An Uncommon Composer."

Arrange the pictures under the trumpet and around a picture of Aaron Copland in the center.

An additional idea: Tape very short excerpts (15-20 seconds long) from all or some of the works mentioned. Play them for the students and have them try to match each excerpt with the correct title and picture. Later, put a small cassette player and the tape near the bulletin board and invite students to hear the excerpts again at their convenience.